The present disclosure is directed generally to electrical connectors. Specifically, the present disclosure is directed to interlocking electrical connectors for creating modular multi-bay headers. Multi-bay headers have many applications and, in particular, as connector assemblies in the automotive industry. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to permanently interlocking electrical connectors having flexible engaging members. These new connectors can have housing configurations that can reduce deformation of the header under high temperature conditions and facilitate reduced insertion forces with its mating connector.
Typical currently available multi-bay headers are constructed as a single unitary housing having multiple connector bays. Each connector bay includes contacts or terminals therethrough for connection to a mating connector at one end and to a printed circuit board or other mounting component or connector at another end. There can be disadvantages to such single unitary piece headers. Single unitary piece headers can limit the number of connector bays because molding a single unitary housing having multiple connector bays becomes increasingly complex, especially when the header includes more than one type of connector bay. Interconnected individual modular bays provide flexibility to meet a variety of design applications. As the size of the single unitary piece header increases so does the risk of warping. Also, separate tooling is often needed for every different header configuration. Testing and validation protocols and procedures also must be devised for each new header configuration, and testing and validation then must be conducted for the various header configurations. Additionally, each bay of the multi-bay, single unitary housing header is molded in the same color as the unitary housing. In addition, the sidewalls of single and multi-bay unitary housings usually are configured at draft angles that deviate from ninety degrees for molding or manufacturing purposes resulting in a slightly wider front or rear end. The subsequent side-by-side mounting of these headers form a curve or a smile configuration when viewed from above moving upward on opposite sides in the direction of the narrower side. This can also cause alignment problems for connection between the pins and the PCB. Additionally, the contraction of a multi-bay unitary header connected to a PCB and exposed to high temperatures, can cause bowing of the PCB as shown in FIG. 1A.
Interlocking modular or separate headers, each providing a single connector bay as described herein, can provide advantages in certain instances over current single unitary headers having multiple bays. Single bay headers as described herein can interlock to form a variety of header configurations without requiring new tooling and validation. Many single bay headers can be interconnected to form a header assembly having more bays than may otherwise have been possible with headers having a single unitary housing which face the risk of warping of the large unitary housing. Also, single bay interlocking modular headers can be color-coded to permit quick identification of various qualities or features of the modular header.
In keeping with the present disclosure, interlocking modular headers resist separating after being connected to each other and can even prevent intentional separation of the interlocked headers. Preventing the disengagement of interlocked modular headers can preserve the integrity of modular headers. The interlocked modular headers of the present disclosure also have some degree of flexibility to facilitate locking of the modular headers and alignment of the contacts with the openings in the printed circuit board (PCB) or other mounting component to which the header assembly is mounted. The individual headers and the interlocked header assembly can be devised to resist warping or deformation in elevated heat conditions that can be found during high temperature applications such as soldering or lead-free soldering of the contacts to a PCB and/or within the operating environment of the modular header.